


Reunion

by Jestana



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s02e03 School Reunion, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-20
Updated: 2012-08-20
Packaged: 2017-11-12 12:49:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/491198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jestana/pseuds/Jestana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"John Smith. I used to have a friend who sometimes went by that name."</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"Well, it's a very common name."</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"He was a very uncommon man."</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> I watched _Stolen Earth_ and _Journey's End_ (even though I _knew_ I'd cry) and I just became fascinated with Sarah Jane Smith. I looked her up and realized she'd been in an earlier episode, so I found that and watched it and the whole idea of her seeing the Doctor again just really fascinated me. So I ended up with this. [This video](http://youtu.be/OEylIlOQjm8) heavily influenced part of the second scene, but I still tried to make it my own.

**Reunion**

Sarah Jane Smith followed Headmaster Finch into the staff lounge, taking in all the people gathered there as he introduced her. "Excuse me, colleagues, a moment of your time. May I introduce Miss Sarah Jane Smith. Miss Smith is a journalist who is writing a profile about me for The Sunday Times. I thought it might be useful for her to get a view from the trenches, so to speak. Don't spare my blushes."

One of the teachers in particular caught her attention: a tall, gawky man with brown hair and brown eyes in a brown pin-striped suit. Something in his face seemed more open and friendly to her, so, once the headmaster left, she crossed to him, offering her hand, "Hello."

"Oh, I should think so." A wide, welcoming smile spread across his face as he shook her hand.

Something about it was familiar, but she ignored that thought in favour of continuing with the typical pleasantries, trying to determine what kind of man he was. "And you are. . . ?"

"Hmm? Ah, Smith. John Smith." The corners of his mouth kept seeming to curve up into a smile. It was rather charming.

She ignored the complicated mess of emotions that brought up--nostalgia, anger, hurt, sadness, fondness--though she couldn't help commenting on the name. "John Smith. I used to have a friend who sometimes went by that name."

"Well, it's a very common name." He shrugged it off with a tip of his head.

Sarah Jane sighed softly, shoving away her memories of the Doctor. This wasn't the time or place for those. "He was a very uncommon man." She paused, not sure what to say next. Well, pleasantries were always good to fall back on, so she offered her hand once more. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you." He shook her hand, that toothy smile breaking through again. "Yes, very nice. More than nice. Brilliant."

Maybe he'd read some of her work before and was aware of what she did for a living. Perhaps he'd be a good person to talk with about what was going on at the school. "Um, so, um, have you worked here long?"

"No, um, it's only my second day." He looked apologetic, glancing around the room.

That meant she'd have to talk to one of the other staff members for insight about the changes, but maybe that meant he was undercover for the same reason she'd come. "Oh, you're new, then?" Stepping closer and lowering her voice, she asked, "So what do you think of the school? I mean, this new curriculum? So many children getting ill. Doesn't that strike you as odd?"

"You don't sound like someone just doing a profile." Again, the toothy smile appeared, as if he just couldn't stay serious.

Sarah Jane offered a mysterious smile in return and a parting shot. "Well, no harm in a little investigation while I'm here."

As she moved away to speak with the other staff members, she was aware that he kept staring at her. It was rather unsettling, but she ignored it in favour of doing what she'd come her for in the first place.

* * *

Sarah Jane wasn't quite sure where she was going. She just knew she needed to get away from whatever was in the shadows. She felt better once she'd dashed out a side door and slammed it shut behind her. Realizing that the light wasn't quite right to be coming from a street lamp, Sarah Jane turned and felt her heart stop beating for a second or two. She'd know the TARDIS anywhere. Just seeing it sitting there, faintly glowing with an unearthly light, brought back so many memories.

 _"Smith, John Smith."_ A young, cheerful voice accompanied an angular face topped by unruly brown hair.

_"Dr. John Smith."_ An older, more gravelly voice to go with a lined face and steel grey bouffant-styled hair.

Her own voice rang in her ears as she slowly backed away from the TARDIS, back to the door she'd just come through: _"What are you?"_

_"Me? I'm a Time Lord."_ The Doctor's voice changed mid-sentence as she found the door handle behind her back and opened the door without looking behind her. _"I'm not a human being. I walk in eternity."_

Sarah Jane backed through the door and continued to back away from it, tears pricking at her eyes as she remembered when the Doctor told her he had to go to Gallifrey and she couldn't go with him, the horrible sinking feeling that had settled over her as the TARDIS left without her. Sensing that someone was watching her, Sarah Jane pushed back the tears and turned in place to see 'John Smith' standing in a patch of moonlight, watching her with old, sad eyes. "Hello, Sarah Jane."

Everything slid into place when he said her name: his smile, the way he shook her hand, the way he stood in the brown overcoat. Just tiny things, but they were _him_ and she barely managed to whisper, "It's you. Oh, Doctor." He nodded, his face so serious and so different from the ridiculous grin he'd sported when they'd introduced themselves. "Oh, my god, it's you, isn't it." Two other faces came to mind, briefly imposing themselves over his. "You've regenerated."

"Yeah, a half dozen times since we last met." He nodded and she felt her heart freeze for a moment at the thought of him going through that so many times. _How long has it been for_ him _since he last saw_ me _?_

* * *

As she headed back home with K9, Sarah Jane felt lighter, freer. Now that she'd seen the Doctor again, had a chance to resolve that part of her life, she was ready to move on. It was something she should have done a long time ago, but no one was perfect. Not even the Doctor.

  
**End**  



End file.
